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Just a Tau Mech list i made, want to know if its any good or not.

Shas'el 78
-TL Fusion, Targeting array

Battlesuit x2 106
-TL Fusion x2, Targeting array

Battlesuit x2 106
-TL Fusion x2, Targeting array

Fire Warriors x6 60
-Devil Fish 120
-SMS, TA, MT, Dis.Pods

Fire Warriors x6 60
-Devil Fish 120
-SMS, TA, MT, Dis.Pods

Fire Warriors x6 60
-Devil Fish 120
-SMS, TA, MT, Dis.Pods

Piranha x2 150
-Fusion Blaster, Dis.Pods, TA

Piranhax2 150
-Fusion Blaster, Dis.Pods, TA

Piranha 70
-Fusion Blaster, Dis.Pod, TA

Hammerhead 180
-Rail Gun, Burst Cannons, Dis. Pod, MT, TL, Flachette discharger

Hammerhead 180
-Rail Gun, Burst Cannons, Dis. Pod, MT, TL, flachette discharger

Hammerhead 180
-Rail Gun, Burst Cannons, Dis. Pod, MT, TL, flachette discharger

6 Big tanks, 5 small tanks, 5 Battlesuits for deep striking TL fusion blasters. Only 3 weak scoring units, but Tau only have weak scoring units. And Piranhas will be getting in the way or transports, and the Devil fish and Hammerheads can keep on moving. There may be better mech Tau builds (I know the best Tau build is Battlesuits, i just like the look of Mech Tau)

rodgers37 wrote:
Just a Tau Mech list i made, want to know if its any good or not.

I'll do my best.

rodgers37 wrote:
Shas'el 78
-TL Fusion, Targeting array

Battlesuit x2 106
-TL Fusion x2, Targeting array

Battlesuit x2 106
-TL Fusion x2, Targeting array

IMHO, the ability to field numerous battlesuits with varying, differently powerful configurations is part of how the Tau excel. I'd recommend switching these around. Maybe one battlesuit pair kitted out like your 'el to deep strike and wreck vehicles and another with TL missile pods for ranged support/alpha strike? I'd also recommend looking at the Fireforge configuration (fusion blaster, missile pod, multi-tracker). That configuration is a bit more survivable, as it has a longer ranged weapon in case you scatter away from your target. It also gets more shots, which will help you if you need to turn its attacks on a squad instead of a vehicle, which might happen.

Multi-trackers are generally a good idea. It lets a small battlesuit squad have a greater impact.

rodgers37 wrote:
Fire Warriors x6 60
-Devil Fish 120
-SMS, TA, MT, Dis.Pods

Fire Warriors x6 60
-Devil Fish 120
-SMS, TA, MT, Dis.Pods

Fire Warriors x6 60
-Devil Fish 120
-SMS, TA, MT, Dis.Pods

I'd drop the SMS. They're good, sure, but not THAT great. You'd be better off with more scoring units - maybe some Kroot?

Also, consider sensor spines on these devilfish. Sensor spines help your transports reach objectives placed in cover more easily, and let the 'fish hide in cover with its firewarriors. Disruption pods will make your 'fish harder to hit, but not as mobile. I put sensor spines on my devilfishes and disruption pods on my tanks, who normally sit in my backfield and blast stuff.

rodgers37 wrote:
Piranha x2 150
-Fusion Blaster, Dis.Pods, TA

Piranhax2 150
-Fusion Blaster, Dis.Pods, TA

Piranha 70
-Fusion Blaster, Dis.Pod, TA

You've got a lot of fusion in this army, more than you need. If you are going to go with piranhas, I'd kit them out as anti-infantry piranhas (burst cannons). Remember that a piranha's front armor is immune to most things infantry can throw at it. Alternately, keep the piranha tank-hunters and change the setup of your crisis suits.

rodgers37 wrote:
Hammerhead 180
-Rail Gun, Burst Cannons, Dis. Pod, MT, TL, Flachette discharger

Hammerhead 180
-Rail Gun, Burst Cannons, Dis. Pod, MT, TL, flachette discharger

Hammerhead 180
-Rail Gun, Burst Cannons, Dis. Pod, MT, TL, flachette discharger

Hammerheads are made of boss and win, but you should really consider putting some broadsides in here. They come with smart missile systems for free and generally kick ass. I'm not going to say anything bad about hammerheads, though, as they do rock.

I will say that your flechette dischargers are probably wasted here. I mean, if things get so bad that your long-range Tau tanks are being attacked in melee, you've kind of lost already. I'd recommend spending those points on measures that will help it never come to that.

Overall, I think you have too much fusion and not enough of anything else. I'm also not sure what you have against markerlights - markerlights are the Greater Good's best friend! I seriously doubt your army will go very far without them.

Thanks for your advice.
It probably is a bit Fusion heavy, so need more anti-infantry i suppose. Although Fusion is also good for killing terminators/MCs etc.
I wanted this army to be all mech/Battlesuits, and thought with the mech element, Deepstriking Battlsuits would be better than the standard Plasma/MP load out you tend to see.

I think i would probably be more inclined to change the Battlesuit configuration than the Piranahs, because the only time i have played against them, they did really well at blocking tanks, so seems like the Fusion would be more useful for shooting the tanks that are being blocked.

With the SMS, i just wanted the Devilfish to be able to shoot a bit better, rather than having lots of troops. Because if the Devilfish aren't doing damage, then the enemy won't be dieing quick enough, and the troops will probably be killed anyway. That was my theory anyway, could be way out.

I would think about taking Broadsides, i know there good, but i wanted the tanks in this army.
And the Flachettes were just to fill out points at the end. If i were trying to fit something like Kroot in, i would drop them for more kroot.

Thanks for your advice, i will try and re-work this list.
I think i have too many upgrades, but then i'm just not confidant the army would perform well enough without quite a few of the upgrades. But i suppose the main problem is, this is so geared up to beat Mech, that the infantry in those tanks probably won't die quick enough after there transports die, that they end up killing the Tau vehicles.

rodgers37 wrote:
Thanks for your advice.

You're welcome.

rodgers37 wrote:
I think i have too many upgrades, but then i'm just not confidant the army would perform well enough without quite a few of the upgrades. But i suppose the main problem is, this is so geared up to beat Mech, that the infantry in those tanks probably won't die quick enough after there transports die, that they end up killing the Tau vehicles.

There's a saying that was given unto me when I started building my first list, which I know say unto you: "Boys before toys." Upgrades are neat, but it is on the backs of your actual models that you will win or lose the game. Unless an upgrade gives a unit new functionality (for example, upgrading a pathfinder team into a pathfinder sniper team) or adds something really useful (such as a bonding knife's ability to keep a unit that has taken heavy losses in the game), think twice before you take it.

I really want to double up my comments about the markerlights. Markerlights are one of the Tau's best weapons and you should really reconsider leaving them out.

rodgers37 wrote:With the SMS, i just wanted the Devilfish to be able to shoot a bit better, rather than having lots of troops. Because if the Devilfish aren't doing damage, then the enemy won't be dieing quick enough, and the troops will probably be killed anyway. That was my theory anyway, could be way out.

With d'fish, you either run the dumbfish, just a Dispod. Or, the Warfish, like you posted, SMS, MT, TA, Dispod. I like these better as it sorta justifies the ridiculous cost of a transport. At least it has teeth now. I'd stick with the Warfish.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

ElectricPaladin wrote:Also, consider sensor spines on these devilfish. Sensor spines help your transports reach objectives placed in cover more easily, and let the 'fish hide in cover with its firewarriors. Disruption pods will make your 'fish harder to hit, but not as mobile. I put sensor spines on my devilfishes and disruption pods on my tanks, who normally sit in my backfield and blast stuff.

EP, what sort of terrain do you play with that does this? *Completely* hiding the 'fish?

If not, then this will only yield a Cover Save, and the DsiPod already does that, without risking Dangerous Terrain, or spending points on S-spines.

Sensor Spines are right below Decoy Launchers in accessory usefulness. That is, not.

ElectricPaladin wrote: ... If you are going to go with piranhas, I'd kit them out as anti-infantry piranhas (burst cannons).

Terrible idea. The piranha's purpose is get up close, where its armor makes it safe from bolters and then to pop a tank. *No one* that I have seen, *ever* runs 'em with BCs. A FireSTorm is 50 points, with a BC/MP, more and better anti-Infantry shots.

ElectricPaladin wrote: ... They come with smart missile systems for free and generally kick ass.

Check the entry again. 20 points for SMS.

ElectricPaladin wrote:... I'm also not sure what you have against markerlights - markerlights are the Greater Good's best friend! I seriously doubt your army will go very far without them.

I went two years without Pathfinders and had a 80% Win/Loss record before I finally got some. 5th edition helped drop that success rate though. That said, I include PFs in every list now (when I occassionally play tau).

EP, I've given a lot of tau advice for several years and I'd hazard a guess that you're not quite as well informed as you think you are.

@rodger37:
Take what advice you will. Fo' Sho' though, go to Advancedtautactica.com for essential reading. That website is why I did so well with tau, gaining a higher winning percentage, faster, than any other army I've played.